


VIENNA CALLING

by Rouhn



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ballet, Ballet, Dancing, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Vienna
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-01
Updated: 2018-03-01
Packaged: 2019-03-25 12:57:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13834887
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rouhn/pseuds/Rouhn
Summary: An open spot at the Vienna State Opera as the lead choreographer brought Killian Jones to Austria. Coming from a reputable family, he started dancing at the age of three, always trying to be the best and attended different Ballet companies like the Paris Opera Ballet, the English National Ballet and the Australian Ballet. Now, at the age of 29, he can finally realise one of his big dreams, regardless his competitor, Emma Swan, an outstanding 22-year-old ballet dancer who (according to everyone) has the best chances to get the position. Both need to undergo the process of a three-week audition, showing off their skills and knowledge, and proving to the board they are dedicated, creative, able to work in a team and can lead a whole group.





	VIENNA CALLING

To say he was nervous was an understatement, but  _ Killian Jones _ already knew how to cope with the pressure and how to behave in such situations. He always seemed to be the cool one - a gentleman through and through - although on the inside he was a nervous wreck. When he was younger, he and his brother Liam were always with their father, a well-esteemed man in the dancing society. He had been a very strict man and had high expectations for his sons. 

 

Ever since Killian was old enough and showed interest, he began his training - not only in dancing but also in etiquette. Quickly, Killian became the new star of the English National Ballet before he decided to give up his position and travel around the world for more experience.

 

Taking a deep breath to steady his nerves, he looked around the room.

 

There were three other candidates but he only knew one. Mulan Hua, a famous Asian dancer who invented a new dance style which combined dancing with traditional stick-fighting, and who was also known for her strict and difficult way of teaching.

 

Next to her, stood a male candidate with cold eyes, hard features and black hair; he looked Arabian but Killian wasn’t sure. When he was introduced as Jafar Odir, Killian gulped hard. He had heard of him once or twice before - mostly because of his maverick methods of dancing and teaching.

 

The last candidate was a young blonde woman who was clearly interested but otherwise closed off. When he heard her name, his eyes went wide.  _ Emma Swan _ \- the outstanding newcomer and exceptional talent from America he’d heard about so much. He was surprised that there was such a young candidate; she couldn't be older than 23.

 

“Welcome, ladies and gentleman,” a man with short brown curls in his fifties entered the room followed by three women and another man. “My name is Manuel Legris, but I think you all already know who I am.” He smiled at the others, glancing from one candidate to the other. He shortly explained what he expected from the candidates and gave each one the schedule of the next three weeks. Afterwards, they were introduced to the rest of the team and taken on a tour of the Opera house. They learned it was opened in 1869 before being destroyed in 1945 and rebuilt shortly after.

  
  


While being shown the beauty of the old opera house and learning its history, Killian couldn’t get rid of the feeling he somehow knew Emma. Throughout the entire tour, he tried to remember. When  Dominique Meyer, the director of the Opera himself, mentioned that the Vienna Opera house was one of the most important Opera houses of the world and was known for being the house with the biggest repertoire, it finally struck Killian like a bolt of lightning.

 

“ _ So you think you will become a better dancer by travelling around and studying the different types of teachings?” the young blonde woman asked him in irritation. _

 

“ _ Aye, lass, I think you can only improve your skills by learning as much as possible. Theory is great, but experience is always better.” Killian smiled at her before he observed the rest of the class. He was at the NYU, attending a lesson for two weeks and sharing his experiences so far before joining the  _ _ Paris Opera Ballet in the upcoming months. Killian wanted to add to his statement when the blonde girl started talking again. _

 

“ _ I think you are wrong. I think it is more important to hone the skills you've learned than to always gain and absorb more information. I think you can always learn more when you perfect your skills first. If you are influenced by too many people and ideas, you will never be able to specialize in a specific area.” _

 

_ Suddenly Killian transformed into defence mode. His lips were pressed into a thin, hard line, his eyebrows raised and eyes piercing. “How old are you, lass?” _

 

“ _ I don't know why that matters but I am 15,” the girl replied, holding his gaze. She was challenging him; he knew that, but there was something about her which made his blood boil. _

 

“ _ 15, I see. You know, when I was 15 I already danced for the Royal Ballet; I’ve been dancing since I am 3 and I never thought about anything else. While others went out with their friends at night I stayed home, studying and training. I always worked hard and saw so many choosing another path. You are still young and I don't want to say you won't have a future as a dancer, but you are just one among thousands.” He cocked his brow when he got up and walked to her. “What's your name, lass?” _

 

_ The girl took a deep breath before she grabbed the hand he was offering. “Emma. Emma Swan.” He could hear the bitterness in her voice, and gathered she was baffled by his harsh words. He bowed slightly and pointed towards the centre of the room. _

 

“ _ Show me what you've got, Swan.” _

 

After lunch, they met again in one of the training rooms of the Ballet school. Killian was scribbling down notes about the other candidates. He knew he could only succeed by doing better than them. He also knew that the upcoming tests weren’t the only exams they had to pass. They were permanently watched - their behaviour around the others, their problem solving abilities, their manners and their personalities.

 

When Killian noticed Jafar walking over to Emma, who was lost in her phone, he lowered his pen and watched them. “So, Ms. Swan, aren’t you a bit too  _ young _ for this position?” Jafar's tone was cold and arrogant, and Killian immediately felt aversion against him but the same time, he started to listen attentively - he was curious  about what her reaction would be.

 

He wasn’t disappointed when he saw her glancing up with a hard expression on her face. “Well, I could ask you the exact opposite. Aren’t you a bit too  _ old _ for this position?”

 

Completely taken aback, Jafar stared at Emma with angry eyes, but he held his tongue and only turned around, walking to the window on the other side of the room. An involuntary smile appeared on Killian's face. Emma knew exactly what she wanted and she knew exactly how to get it. He only hoped her behaviour won't get in her way.

 

The next thing Killian noticed was Mulan walking over and nodding her head in approval. “Well done, Emma; don’t let him get to you.” When she leaned closer, Killian wasn’t able to hear the rest, but moments later he knew he was staring too obviously. He didn't hear the amused chuckle from the man next to the window when Emma suddenly approached Killian. Mulan had made her way out of the room as Emma stared at Killian. “And what about you? Why are you staring at me? Don’t you-”

 

“Killian, a word, please?” Manuel Legris entered the room at the same moment, his eyes flitting between Killian and Emma before shaking his head slightly and pointing at the neglected part of the room.

 

“Sure, Manuel,” Killian answered politely. He knew the director of the Vienna State Ballet ever since his days at the  Paris Opera Ballet. He glanced at Emma briefly before he followed Manuel and caught up with him on the last few years, his career and plans during his stay.

 

The whole time, Killian felt a pair of eyes on him and when Manuel left the room he immediately knew whose.

 

“Well, buddy, it must be great knowing the director himself. It seems as if your skills aren't what brought you here, but your connections. How pathetic.” The eye roll and the huff of annoyance which followed her snarky retort made him speechless. He could only watch her stomp away, still unsure if he liked or hated Emma Swan.

 

_ Killian was enjoying himself. Normally he wouldn’t go out, but this time it was a special occasion. He laughed with the others, moved with the beats and enjoyed the cool Guinness running down his throat. He hadn’t been out in a while - always aware what alcohol and late nights out could do. He had seen it often enough, and nearly experienced it himself after his girlfriend had left him to take a job in Japan. _

 

_ But now he was here having fun with his friends whom he hadn’t seen in a while. Belle was here for a visit and so he took the opportunity to catch up with her.  _

_ Little did he know he would meet an old “friend” again. _

 

_ Exactly 01:36 (according to the police report he later had to sign) a young, blond woman stormed inside the bar, looking around furiously. When she found her target, she made her way over without taking notice of anything in her way. She pushed Belle right into Killian’s arms, not even aware of her actions - only fixated on the man in the corner. _

 

_ “You! How dare you choose her over me?! I’m your best choice, for god’s sake!”  _

 

_ Half of the bar glanced her way. She was nearly vibrating; her hands were on her hips, eyes narrowed and cheeks filled with a slight shade of pink. “Just because I don’t fuck you, you think you can fuck with me?!” _

 

_ Killian’s eyes went wide. What was this woman accusing him of? He shook his head when he heard two male dancers he barely knew, talking quietly amongst themselves. _

 

_ “You think he did it again?”  _

 

_ “I guess she is just another line on his long list. But I have to admit she is brave confronting him here in public.”  _

 

_ “She looks like a tough lass.”  _

 

_ “That’s Emma Swan, haven’t you heard of her? Terrific dancer, the best of NYU and could easily get into Juilliard but refused as she ‘owes her career to the NYU’. She has nothing to lose.”  _

 

_ “Well, he won’t change though. He loves to ‘test’ these young dancers himself before letting them dance for him.”  _

 

_ “You are disgusting.”  _

 

_ “His words not mine.”  _

 

_ Killian wanted to turn around to ask them what they meant, but Neal’s voice stopped him. _

 

_ “Oh come on, Ems, cool down. Everyone is replaceable and you see, Tamara is willing to give more than 100% to get that job. I mean-” he got up and walked over to her, placing a hand on her chin, “if you are up to a bit more of a private conversation, I can still change my mind.” _

 

_ Killian cocked his head. Did he hear correctly? Was Neal really that conniving? Killian made a step towards him, but stopped when Belle placed a hand on his bicep. Eyeing his friend in irritation, he missed the moment Emma started yelling again. _

 

_ “Get your hands off me, asshole. I would never sleep with you to get  _ **_this_ ** _ or any other role. We are done here. I said get your hands off!” _

 

_ Killian’s head snapped around, and he caught Neal standing very close to Emma grinning like a predator; a cold shiver ran down Killian’s spine. “Oh baby, you are nothing without me. You may or may not be a terrific dancer but your moods will definitely kill your career one day. Now sit down with us and have a drink on me. You really need to relax a bit.” His thumb was stroking the little dimple on the girl’s chin. _

 

_ Smack. _

 

_ The blonde’s hand collided with Neal’s cheek causing the man’s head snap to the side, and making him more than angry. He slowly turned his head towards her and spoke in a hard, brutal tone. “That was a big mistake, Emma.” Raising his hand, he was about to hit her, but two other men were quicker. They pushed him back, pinning him against the wall. Killian didn’t take his eyes off her, and without thinking, he went to her intending on asking if she were alright when someone crashed into him. He stumbled and fell, pulling the other man down with him. He felt a fist colliding with his cheek but was too shocked to respond.  _

 

_ He heard Belle scream his name, heard several other loud voices before he was even able to get up. When he finally stood again, he saw chaos ensue around him. There were so many people involved in the fight; nobody paid attention to the blonde who was still standing in the middle of the room. But once again, Killian wasn’t able to get to her as the two policemen who entered the bar made everyone freeze. _

 

_ This was the last night he went out with friends, and the last night he saw Emma Swan, the girl who not only hit Neal Cassidy - one of the most important casting directors of New York City - but also ended his career then and there.  _

 

**cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs***

 

Three days had passed - three days which were not only exhausting, but also very productive. They were introduced to different groups of five students who would be their attendants for the next two and a half weeks. They had four different tasks to fulfill until the director would make his decision.

  
  


**TASK 1** \- compose a classical ballet choreography related to one or more already existing ballets, giving your students some background information about the original ballets _ (up to 15min) _

  
  


**TASK 2** \- choose one out of four songs and choreograph a modern ballet  _ (each song can only be chosen by one candidate)  _

  
  


**TASK 3** \- with a partner you have to show off your classical dance skills -  _ partners will be provided; must include three different dances chosen by attendee _

  
  


**TASK 4** \- show off your dance skills, including modern, classical, freestyle, in group and solo  _ (up to 10min) _

  
  


Killian wasn’t happy about his dance crew which included three girls and two boys - each honing a different level of skills, and most of whom were always swooning and hardly paying attention to his instructions.

 

He also didn’t get the song he wanted for the modern ballet. He got a partner for the classical dance whose first words were “jeez you are hot” and his friend Belle had to cancel their meeting tomorrow evening. So far, the whole trip was more or less a disaster.

 

He spent the last two nights in his room, thinking about his future and his upcoming tasks. He was a man of structure, always prepared and always willing to learn and give his best. Now he was sitting in front of his MacBook trying to find the perfect ballet dance for his students. 

 

He wanted to impress Manuel but the same time he knew he had to work with his students and their abilities. Two of his students just started their training recently. They weren’t as skilled as the other three. He knew that this might be a problem in finding the right dance but the same time he loved challenges and this was a challenge he was willing to accept. He won’t fail although he didn’t know the five students, or how quickly they were able to learn, and most importantly, he didn’t know how much time they really had. He would make a compilation out of three ballets so that each of his students were able to show his or her talents.

 

He didn’t want to attend the ballet himself, so he needed to focus on the students. Killian knew his skills, he knew his strengths and he knew where he had to give 200% instead of 100. Teaching classical ballet was easy for him - he was a teacher for the last two years - and showing his skills as a dancer was something he was looking forward to; ballroom dancing was something he really enjoyed but was hardly ever able to do properly.

The only concerns he had were about the modern ballet - he was  _ not _ a fan; he always preferred the art of the classics.

 

The next morning he drove back to the State Opera taking in the sights of the city at sunrise. The apartment of his friend Robin (where he was allowed to stay during his visit) was nearby the Prater and exhibition area, a bit far from the Opera, making him pass several sights on his way to the Opera house.

 

When he entered the Opera, he saw two of his opponents. 

 

“Good morning, ladies,” he greeted politely, holding the door for them in a gentlemanly manner.

 

Mulan thanked him wearily while Emma only mumbled something unintelligible. She wore a huge sweatshirt and dark sunglasses, and her hair was up in a messy bun. Her dufflebag hung low on her shoulder, bumping against her hip with every move, and Killian got the impression she was out the previous night, but he held his tongue.

 

“Good morning again,” Manuel Legris greeted the group, eyeing each one sternly. “Today I will tell you when you have to perform. Each performance has to be held in front of  _ me _ ,  _ my team _ and the  _ other opponents _ . Each of you will be able to train in a studio, so please stick to the schedule because you will have to share in pairs of two.”

 

Killian looked around; Emma was seated on a table with crossed legs, looking at the director while he continued his instructions. Jafar was leaning against the doorframe clearly annoyed by the inconvenience of sharing a studio with anyone else and Mulan was sitting on a chair nodding in approval, her hands placed on the backrest. Killian’s thoughts drifted off again, Manuel’s voice suddenly only a faint whisper.

 

_ “He was unbelievable, wasn’t he? Emma, come here; tell him how good he was up on stage.” _

 

_ Killian noticed the young woman walking towards him slowly, and gave the newly signed picture back to the redhead in front of him before he smiled at Emma. _

 

_ “Ms. Swan, nice seeing you here. How have you been? Still dancing I assume?” _

 

_ “Woah - woah - woah you know him, Emma? You know Killian Jones?” Her friend turned around staring at Emma with wide eyes, making her stumble for words. _

 

_ “I- I mean…”  _

 

_ “And you never had the intention of introducing me to him? Now I get it why you wanted to come here so badly.” _

 

_ “Is that so?” Killian smirked at the women, licking his lower lip while leaning against the wall. _

 

_ “Ruby! First of all, I don’t really know him. He once ran a class of mine for three days and second of all, I just wanted to come here because Swan Lake is one of my favourite ballets.” Ignoring Killian’s comment, Emma shook her head, annoyed, completely, her eyes fixated on her friend. _

 

_ “Fine, but would you at least be so kind to answer his questions?” _

 

_ Emma rolled her eyes and stepped closer. He saw her looking him up and down, but he said nothing at all. “Okay, okay. Nice to see you too. I’m fine, thanks. And yeah, I’m still dancing.” _

 

_ “She is brilliant. One year ago she really struggled with this whole system, but from one day to the next, she really worked hard, trying to find her style. Since then she is one of the best- no THE best dancer in school and maybe New York. She got so many offers already and-” _

 

_ “Ruby!” Emma blushed, looking at Killian from under her lashes, “Leave the man alone; he definitely has better things to do than listen to your rambling.” _

 

_ “Well, as much as I’d love to listen to you all day, the lass is right - I have some obligations and have to excuse myself. I’m very happy you didn’t give up dancing, Emma. Maybe we’ll see each other around.” _

 

_ With those words, he gave Emma one of his autographs, not only with his signature but also a little note. The last thing he saw from her was a scowl over her shoulder including an eyeroll.  _

 

_ Chuckling to himself, he returned to his dressing room. _

 

Killian exhaled deeply, coming back to the here and now. He knew he was screwed when he took a look at his schedule. Of course he had to share his studio with Emma and of course, he was the first to perform. But at least he was the last one to show his modern ballet to the rest of the group. It would give him enough time to prepare his students. At least he hoped so.

 

**cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs***

 

“ My turn, ” Emma turned off the music looking at Killian with raised brows and crossed arms.

 

_ Really?  _ Killian turned his head, huffing in annoyance. Two minutes - he was there two bloody minutes too long because Misty didn’t get this one position right. How dare Emma - this young girl - turn off the music so rudely and interrupt his teaching?

 

However he didn’t say anything. If she wanted to play this game dirty, he would happily comply. 

 

“Thank you, Misty; we see each other tomorrow afternoon. Please be punctual and practise this figure.”

 

“Yes, sir.” The young girl hurried to her duffel bag, stuffing all her things inside before she practically ran outside.

 

Killian pinched the bridge of his nose when he heard Emma chuckle. Looking at her and the amused expression he lowered his hands again. “Yes, Ms. Swan?”

 

Emma held her arms up in defense. “Oh nothing, but I think this girl already found out about the real you.”

 

Now Killian became curious. “The real me? What’s that supposed to mean?”

 

“Well,” Emma began, crossing the room to stand in the middle, and slowly stretched her muscles, “you are clearly a womanizer, but the moment they take the bait, you change into your teaching mode.”

 

“So you think I am a womanizer who misleads people with my good looks?”

 

“If you think you are good looking then yeah.”

 

“But I didn’t ask to have this girl on my team.”

 

“Well, if you say so. Who knows what advantages you had through your connections to the director.” Emma bent down, stretching her back, her shirt exposing more naked skin than it should. Killian’s eyes were fixated on her. He knew she was a feisty woman, but he never thought she might be such a bitch.

 

“You can think of me whatever you want, Swan, but you are wrong. It’s right that I know Manuel but I haven’t seen nor spoken to him the last few years. I know a lot of people in the dancing scene.”

 

“I am well aware of that,” Emma mumbled while she walked to her iPod and turned on the music. Walking back to the centre of the room, she started to warm up while going from one position to the other, stretching her feet and toes, rolling and stretching her arms as well.    
  
Killian completely forgot about their banter before; he was clearly mesmerised  by her. 

 

So much had changed the last few years. When he first saw her dancing back in New York she was gracile, but watching her now was like watching a feather whirling around in the wind. When she pulled her sweater over her head and revealed a long loose tank top over her sports bra, Killian held his breath.

 

She was beautiful - he couldn’t deny that - but the way she talked to him, with disrespect and arrogance, was nothing he could ever fancy about her.

 

“Are you going to watch me the whole time?” Emma’s harsh words brought him back to his senses, the tips of his ears turning bright red in an instant.

 

“If you need any assistance,” Killian countered cockily, making Emma freeze. 

 

“No, thank you, my partner should be here any minute.” She again walked back to her iPod and checked the time. “Great, he is late again.” The words were more a whisper than anything else, but Killian could sense the anger behind it.

 

“So, you are practising ballroom dancing?” Killian’s voice was giving him away instantly. He had never seen someone practising in casual dance clothes when she should wear a gown instead, or at least a skirt and high heels.

 

Emma shook her head, annoyed. “And that irritates you because of?” She was definitely pissed and he had no intentions of riling her up any further. Instead, Killian shook his head and held his tongue. 

 

To his relief, Emma’s partner showed up that very moment, earning an angry speech from an annoyed Emma about being punctual and how she was hoping he’d practised for his own sake. Killian knew this was the perfect moment to leave unnoticed, so he grabbed his bag and hurried outside, hoping Emma wouldn’t rip off the lad’s head.

 

He made his way down to the Vienna city park to meet his partner for practising. He found out that renting a room would cost too much, so he decided to practise in public. He didn’t have to lose anything and his partner needed more confidence so he thought by dancing in the park he could combine both. The moment he crossed the street in front of the park, he received a message telling him she wouldn’t be able to make it, as she had to study for an upcoming test. Shaking his head, annoyed, he decided to find another victim to help him out. There was no problem which couldn’t be solved.

 

When he returned to his apartment three hours later, he hadn’t practised a lot; instead he was watching a group of youngsters skate, dance and play basketball. He was still struggling with his modern ballet, but he had some pretty good ideas, thanks to these kids. He wondered how the others were doing, especially a specific blonde.

 

_ “Killian, what are you reading about? Can't it wait until tomorrow? Come to bed, I feel lonely.” Killian looked up, smiling at his girlfriend. _

 

_ “In a minute, love, I just want to finish this article.” His eyes wandered back to the magazine, continuing to read about this exceptional talent from America. He had to laugh when he was nearly finished. He he’d been  _ **_stalking_ ** _ Emma’s career since their last encounter, intrigued by her friend’s words. She had made much progress and made herself a name, but her stubbornness (and maybe her youth) often thwarted her plans. He knew little of her - only things he read in articles or heard from others. She was a loner, always giving 100%, but was also easily distracted. He didn’t know anything of her family, nor was he able to find out about her heritage. _

 

_ This article didn’t reveal any new details, only the fact that she now was the newest female solo dancer of the New York City Ballet. He didn’t know why, but he felt proud of her. Maybe his words did help her become what she was now. He finished the article and added the magazines with the other stash.  _

 

_ Climbing in the bed next to his girlfriend, he didn’t stop thinking of the blonde. He wasn’t sure why he was so curious about her - maybe because she was a reminder of himself, or maybe because she didn’t seem to have the same dance background he had but was still one of the top dancers of the world. _

 

**cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs***

 

Stunning. This was the only word which crossed his mind. The fluid movement on the stage, the synchronicity, the precise halts. Mulan was a master of her element; she knew exactly what to show her audience. His eyes suddenly fell on Emma who was sitting on the other side of the room, fiddling with her phone and hardly paying attention.

 

She seemed to be stressed, her eyes wandering from Mulan, to the door, to Manuel Legris and back to the door. Killian wondered what was going on, but he also knew he had to pay attention. Having respect and paying attention to the performance of another dancer were very important to Manuel, so he sorted his thoughts and focused on Mulan and her performance.

 

The moment she was finished, he started to clap his hands along with the others. Words of praise and encouragement were exchanged. Everyone was standing around the Asian dancer - everyone except one. Emma was missing. Having a bad feeling, he excused himself and made his way out of the room. 

 

Finding Emma close to tears in the hallway on her phone made his heart ache. He wasn’t sure what to do next, and when her eyes met his, he suddenly wished he hadn’t come outside, but the at same tmomentime, he wished he could hold her - ; could wrap his arms around her and pull her into a hug , to comfort her and be there for her - no matter what was going on.

 

Slowly Emma ended the call, looking at Killian as if he were some kind of alien. He saw she was angry, but he also saw she was lost.

 

“What’s wrong, love?” he asked cautiously, stepping a bit closer before stopping himself when he saw her hard expression. 

 

“Not your love,” she replied coldly, fiddling with her phone again. She shook her head walking a few steps away before she stopped in front of a wall and turned around. “My partner isn’t coming. He isn’t answering any of my calls or texts and he should have been here ten minutes ago.” She sighed, defeated, and slumped down the wall, placing her face in her hands. “I’m screwed.”

 

“No, you are not, lo- Emma. It’s a test. Legris wants to see what you will do if something unpredictable happens.” Killian sat down next to her, gazing at her with a soft smile.

 

Emma looked up, staring at him with wide eyes. “So I failed,” her voice was barely above a whisper. 

 

Killian suddenly felt bad for her, he looked at the closed doors before he turned around again. “No, you didn’t. I have a friend who can help you, just let me call him and-”

 

“That will be too late. I, I-” Emma sighed shaking her head again. He saw her resignation and made a decision.

 

“So let me be the one who helps you.”

 

“You? Why would I, I mean I can’t, that would-”

 

“Breathe, Swan. You need a partner and I am available. I promise I won’t do anything stupid and I promise to follow your lead. Just tell me what you’ve planned and I will be the perfect partner.” He could see her inner turmoil but she agreed eventually.

 

“We have forty-five minutes left, so I would say we get started. But do you even have a tailcoat with you?” Her trembling voice made his heart flutter. 

 

“Don’t worry, love. I have it in the studio upstairs.” He offered her his arm, and to his surprise  she took it without hesitation. 

 

“No waltz, Swan?” He knitted his brows after listening to her explanation of the dances she wanted to perform.

 

“You told me you won’t interject with my decisions.”

 

“Right, apologies. Come here,” he opened his arms and she stepped into his dance space, placing her left hand on his shoulder and her right hand in his left one. They started to dance, Killian following her lead without further questions. He still wondered why she wasn’t training in a gown, but once again he held his tongue. Dancing with her felt natural. She was a bit smaller than him; he wondered how much taller she would be with her heels on. Her hand on his shoulder blade was just a light but yet firm touch, and she moved as if she never did anything else.

 

After fifteen minutes, Emma ended the training and left the room to change. Killian also changed into his tailcoat and his dancing shoes. He combed through his hair, but wasn’t able to finish. His breath faltered when Emma re-entered the room. She wore a red long-sleeved ball gown showing off her curves. It was a classical one, floor length and soft in material. Her hair was up in a bun, only a few tendrils hanging down loosely, framing her face, and a little tiara completed the look. Her heels were completely hidden under her gown, but Killian already noticed she was nearly his eye level.

 

“Swan, you look-” he breathed, walking over and bowing respectfully in front of her. He didn’t miss the blush on her cheeks nor did he miss the sharp intake of air before she rolled her eyes. Killian shook his head and held her back before she was able to pass him. “No, Emma, you  _ do _ look beautiful.”

 

Her blush deepened, her eyes connecting with his for a brief moment. “Thank you. You don’t look so bad yourself, although-” she pressed her lips into a thin line to suppress a smile. Slowly she reached up, now standing so close to him he felt her breath on his face. With shaky hands, she tamed his hair, brushing his scruffed cheek before placing her hand on his forearm. “Maybe we should give it another try,” she added, her voice barely above a whisper.

 

“Aye, love” he answered and placed his hand on her waist, taking her other in his before he started to move without waiting for any music.

 

He had never felt more alive in this moment. When you normally start dancing full ballroom garb you can be sure to have at least one little incident. But with Emma, there was no such incident. They moved like they had done this a thousand times before. Emma molded into his body, letting him lead and following him with each step. 

 

Boldly, Killian pushed her off himself only to pull her back into his waiting arms, spinning her around the very same moment. Ending their performance, he dipped her over his arm, staring into her eyes. Their hearts pounded frantically; Killian was sure she could hear his and was sure she would break their position any moment. However, he didn’t want her to. He wanted to hold her and feel connected to her. He wanted to-

 

“Ms. Swan, Mr. Legris is expecting you,” Annabelle Gausman, Legris’ personal assistant stated, suddenly entering the room. Quickly, he and Emma broke their position, fixing their clothes and looking at each other briefly.

 

“Thank you,” Emma answered smiling before she took her iPod, stuffed it into her bag and followed the woman. Killian gathered his things and followed them, entering the theatre a moment after them.

 

Killian knew something was off when he entered the room and approached her. Emma was trembling and beyond nervous. When he touched her shoulder, she didn’t even flinch. Turning her around he saw it written all over her face, but there was no time to ask her what was wrong. Instead he lifted her chin slightly. “You ready, Swan?”

 

Nodding she started the music, walking into the center of the stage, waiting for Killian who met her quickly after. She placed one hand on his shoulder and the other in his hand, squeezing slightly before looking into his eyes. Killian squeezed hers in return and waited. The intro faded and the first notes of “You and Me” by Lifehouse resonated through the room. Irritated, Killian looked at Emma who was again trembling under his touch, and whose eyes were pleading. Who was he to deny her anything? He started the waltz, leading her around the stage, getting lost in the music and the warm body who was pressed against his every so often. After the waltz, there was a bridge to the foxtrot they had practised before, and after that they ended their performance with a cha-cha-cha.

 

Emma beamed at Killian who was panting heavily. He looked at her and took her hand, bowing and placing a kiss on her knuckles. Emma blushed, but didn’t react in any other way.

 

He wasn’t sure why Emma changed her mind about the waltz, but he didn’t questioned her. Killian had so many questions, but they could wait. Tomorrow he had to show his classical ballet and Jafar his modern ballet. He wasn’t very nervous about it, although he wondered if Manuel would sabotage one of his performances or if it were merely a coincidence that Emma’s partner wasn’t available. 

 

**cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs***

 

The first week was over, and each one of the candidates already performed twice in front of the others. Killian’s classical ballet was a complete success along with his single performance  Tomorrow he was going to show his dance room skills (again) and by the end of the week he was going to show his modern ballet.

 

As impressed as he had been with Mulan’s modern ballet, he was shocked about her classical ballet. She not only made two major mistakes - one by attending the ballet herself and not giving enough credit to her crew, but also by mixing in a modern ballet.

 

Jafar was even worse. His modern ballet was nice, a bit too subtle for Killian, but the music he chose was something else. His ballroom dance skills were classical but nothing overly great.

 

Emma’s single skill performance was outstanding. She moved like a swan. It was like she was completely lost in her performance and only came back to her senses when the applause began. He didn’t know why, but her eyes searched his the very moment she bowed, her cheeks coloured with a faint shade of pink. He wasn’t sure if this was because of her workout or something else.

 

All in all, he didn’t understand Emma and her behaviour. The whole first week, she had been avoiding him. Whenever he occupied the dance studio a minute too long, she turned off the music and scolded him. Even after he helped her, she didn’t change her behaviour. She was like fire and ice. Whenever he saw her dancing or teaching, she was passionate, lost in her element and completely focused  but the next moment - around others and especially him - she was as cold as a stone. He had no idea if she remembered any of their former encounters; he had no idea if she was so closed off with everyone or just him. He wasn’t even sure why he was suddenly so interested in her again. 

 

**cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs*cs***

 

Too late. He was going to be too late. Damn metro. Why did he chose to go by the metro today and not by car? Oh right - because his didn’t bloody work and he was so sick of driving on the wrong side of the road (for him). 

 

“There you are,” his dance partner, Desirée, greeted him and got up from the floor in front of the dance studio. “I was worried you’d stood me up.”

 

“I am sorry, love, let’s get inside and change, aye?” He opened the door and they went inside. They changed in silence, but he felt her eyes on him the whole time. Trying to shut her out, he turned a bit before he laced his shoes.

 

“I was thinking, maybe we can go out tonight after the performance? Just you and me and the nice bar around the corner?” Desirée suddenly stood in front of him, eyes full of hope and desire. Her dark blue gown was hugging her curves in the right way, the shoes making her just a bit taller so she was now able to peek over Killian’s shoulder.

 

Killian ran his hand through his hair, cursing inwardly for ruining it the same moment. He knew this was a delicate situation. If he accepted her offer (just to be polite of course) he might mislead her into thinking he wanted more, and if he declined her offer, he was afraid she might ruin his performance. So he decided to ignore this conversation.

 

“We are already late; can we talk about that later, please. I need to check the music one last time and I don’t want any distraction right now.” He looked at her hoping he didn’t sound too harsh or annoyed. She huffed in irritation, but didn’t say anything else. Killian knew he should have reacted differently, so he quickly added a “you look beautiful by the way” to ease the tension.

 

Desirée smiled, went back and grabbed her bag. “Ready when you are.” 

 

Killian tried to ignore her sweet tone and walked to the door, holding it open for her. 

 

“Always the gentleman, are you?”

 

He only smiled politely and led her to the theatre where the others were already taking their seats. Standing on a stage normally didn’t make him nervous, however this time he was. Normally he had much more time to practice, normally he knew his partner better and he feared that after dancing with Emma he wasn’t going to enjoy it that much. She’d clearly ruined him.

 

“Ready, Desirée?” He extended his hand and she took it gracefully before he led her to the centre of the stage. He counted in his head how many seconds were left. Slowly they positioned themselves; he stood slightly oblique to her, their eyes locked. 

 

When the music started, a real inferno broke out. Their first dance was a tango. Killian had decided to do this one to show off his full potential. He completely got lost in his performance, never heard the “oohs” and “aahs” from the audience. Desirée was a vision, but Killian couldn’t help but imagine someone completely different in front of him. After a few seconds of confusion, he accepted the fact that he envisioned Emma instead of Desirée and promised himself to deal with it later. 

 

When the tango ended, he panted heavily. Overwhelmed by the passion he felt in this moment he smiled at his partner only to see Desirée standing next to him, not Emma. He wasn’t sure what it meant that he imagined Emma dancing with him instead of Desirée but he couldn’t deal with his imagination right now, he had to do two other dances. Only feeling the slightest shade of guilt, he composed himself and bowed slightly in front of Desirée. Their next dance was a quickstep. Trusting she would not mislead this one particular section, he searched for her eyes again only to be disappointed to stare into deep brown ones and not the sparkling emerald ones he had hoped for.

 

Once again he got lost, his eyes only leaving hers when they had to break position. He felt the burn in his lungs and the sting in his thighs, but it was a pleasant feeling knowing he only will be sore because he gave 200%.

 

When the music slowed down, he spun Desirée around and got down on one knee waiting. His eyes wandered on their own accord finding Emma staring at them with her jaw dropped. Her pupils were dilated, cheeks rosy and her tongue tracing her lower lip. She was a vision.

 

Killian nearly missed his entry, but he was a professional after all. With ease he pushed himself off the floor and started the Viennese Waltz. It was one of his favourite dances. He loved to exhibit graceful fluency, stamina and timing as they rotated charmingly around the dance floor. It costed him a lot of strength, but the result was worth every second of his performance.

 

When the music ended, the whole audience practically jumped up cheering and clapping their hands. Killian was panting heavily, and together he and Desiree bowed before he took her hand and pointed at her with his other one, giving her the credit she deserved. His eyes roamed over the people in the audience, catching Manuel dipping his head slightly, showing him how impressed he was, and seeing his assistance cheerfully clapping her hands. Mulan and Emma smiled broadly with their hands above their heads, applauding, and Jafar was raising his hands, also clapping.

 

All in all, it was a successful performance with only one catch - he’d had the wrong partner. He knew if he had performed with Emma, it would have been even better. With this knowledge, he went back to the studio with Desirée where he destroyed all her hopes by telling her how great she was, but that he never dated someone he might soon work with.

 

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“Killian.” 

 

When he heard his name, he knew he once again he was occupying the room for too long. He turned around seeing Emma standing in the doorway and she seemed - nervous.

 

“Are you alright, Swan?” it was interesting that he again asked her this question - interesting that he again cared. But maybe this wasn’t that surprising at all. “I am sorry, I overran my time again. I-”

 

“Could you help me with something, please?” Her voice wasn’t as confident and snarky as normal, so he only nodded and waited for her to approach him. When she stood in front of him, she also seemed smaller and more nervous.

 

“What is it, lo- Emma? How can I help you?”

 

She stepped closer, their chests nearly brushing against each other’s. “There is this one move I am not sure about. Maybe you can help me practice before I have to show them my students?” 

 

Killian swallowed audibly. He was drawn in by her eyes, only able to nod. “Su- sure, love.” 

 

A smile appeared on Emma’s face. She walked over to the row of tables where she put down her bag and searched for her iPod. Plugging it in  she turned around lifting her sweater over her head, revealing her light pink leotard and her white leggings. Killian once again gulped down some air.

 

When Emma caught him staring and blushed, but continued putting on her pointe shoes. When finished, she slowly went over to him. “I think I will show you what I have in mind; I think you will be familiar with the following steps,” she murmured, causing Killian to question his sanity. “The problem is that I’m not able to perform this one passage leading to the quicker part and as long as I am not able to, my students won’t be either.”

 

Once again, Killian only nodded. 

 

Emma stretched a bit, going through all five ground positions three times before she danced over to her iPod and switched it on. The moment the music started, a smile appeared on Killian’s face. She was dancing (a part) of one of his ballets. 

He watched her move, tiptoe and spin, using as much space as possible. A split second before the difficult part began, Killian joined her. His hands were on her waist as he guided her through it, lifting her as if she weighed nothing and turned her around in the air. Her question was suddenly forgotten when he lost himself in the music. He thought maybe it was a coincidence that they harmonized on the  _ ballroom dance floor _ , but it was not limited to standard dances.    
  
He put her down again, watching her arms flex and her body tense and relax within seconds. Her footwork was outstanding. It was something he always criticised first, because without a proper footwork, a dancer is not able to perform a complete ballet. “Why Alice in Wonderland, and why this version?”

 

“It’s the best.”

 

“It’s the hardest.”

 

“Yeah, maybe, but if you can teach this, you can teach almost anything.” Emma walked to her iPod to restart the music, but Killian was with her before she was able to press the button.

 

“Do you have more of the ballet on the iPod?” He was curious. He knew she asked him to help with this part, but he wanted to see if she was indeed this terrific dancer everyone had told him about. What he’d read about her, heard about her and already saw, should’ve been proof enough, but it wasn’t. He already knew she was good.

 

“Yeah, why? Are you still familiar with the steps of the ballet?”

 

“Are  _ you _ , Swan?” 

 

She nodded. 

 

“And do you trust me?” 

 

She nodded again.

 

“Let us do the Cheshire Cat lifts, then I’ll help you.”

 

Emma swallowed soundly, looking at him with big eyes, but eventually she agreed. He walked over to the windows and waited for her to switch on the music. When their eyes connected, his heart skipped a beat. She slowly walked over, waiting for him to meet her. “I won’t ruffle your fur, Cheshire cat,” she said cheekily, but he only shook his head. 

 

“Start wherever you want to, I will come in easily, Swan.” He nearly finished the sentence when Emma started to move. Well, she wasn’t really  _ moving _ , but he was prepared for her jump. 

 

She practically leapt into his arms and he caught her, lifting her high above his head. Stretching her feet, she nailed the split without any problems, trusting him 100% when he suddenly let her roll off his arms, catching her a second later. He put her down on the floor after spinning themselves around the room. 

  
Acting like a cat, he clawed at her and tiptoed around her, earning a hearty snort from Emma. However, within a moment, she was back into his arms again. He lifted her, spun her around and turned her over like a doll. When the music faded, he pulled her towards him and held her tight. 

 

“You are magnificent, Emma.” His breath left in shallow puffs of hot air; he hadn’t danced like that in a long time.

 

“So are you,” Emma replied, but suddenly turned red when she realised what she’d said. “I- I mean as a dancer and partner and I-” She cleared her throat and switched on the music again so they could finally start to practice. 

 

He knew he shouldn't touch her that much. It wasn’t necessary, but he couldn’t hold himself back, and Emma didn’t seem to mind. They practiced until someone cleared his throat at the door. Turning around, Killian set Emma down on her feet again without breaking body contact. 

 

It was Manuel who stared at the two, surprised. “I see you two are practicing together.”

 

“Yeah, is there a problem?” Emma snapped at him, but composed herself when she felt Killian squeeze her waist slightly. “I mean, yeah, Killian helps me with my footwork and-”

 

“No, of course it is no problem, Ms. Swan. It is only a problem when the two of you forget about time and nearly get locked in. It is past seven. There is no performance today and I would love to lock up now, so it would be nice if you two would end your training for the day.”

 

“Apologies, Manuel; of course. It seems we got a bit carried away while practicing.” Killian blushed and let go of Emma who hurried to her bag and gathered all her belongings. As quickly as possible, they put on some decent clothes and followed Manuel outside. Without another word, Emma left and hurried towards the metro.

 

“Feisty woman,” Manuel Legris commented, shaking his head. 

 

“Aye, that she is,” Killian answered absentmindedly before he said goodbye and started to follow behind Emma. He felt Manuel’s eyes on him, but he didn’t turn around. His thoughts were still on the room on the third floor as he took a deep breath, trying to stop feeling Emma’s body heat under his fingertips. He tried to ignore the butterflies in his stomach as he thought of her scent, her smile and the softness of her hair. 

 

His eyes went wide and he stopped immediately. What was going on? Was he falling for Emma Swan? _ Falling hard and fast,  _ a voice in his head answered the unspoken question. He quickly closed his eyes, but the only thing he saw was Emma moving around the room.

 

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Normally being on a plane made him tense, but this time he didn’t feel the nervosity. He didn’t even feel angry or sad; he only felt content. He leaned back seeing the airport get smaller and smaller the farther they rolled away before he finally looked up watching the last minutes of the safety instructions. Closing his eyes, he felt the familiar knot in his stomach when the plane accelerated - his hands closed around the arm rests while his mind tried to focus on the last day at the Vienna State Opera.

 

_ “Thank you all for your hard work the last few weeks and thank you all for your commitment. It was a pleasure having you all here, but as you all know, there is only one open spot. I would love to talk to each one of you in private so I can clarify my decision. You all have your strength and weaknesses, and I think it’s important to give proper and constructive feedback. Only through feedback can you develop and grow.” _

 

_ Killian was very nervous; Manuel didn’t give away any hint of who made it, and who not.  _

 

_ “Ms. Hua, I want to start with you. Please come to my office; the others can stay here. Ms. Gausman will come and pick up the next one soon.” With these words he left them, taking Mulan with him, who quickly said goodbye and squeezed Emma’s hand. _

 

_ The moment the door fell shut, Emma started to pace up and down, nervously biting her lower lip. She fiddled with her fingers, staring out of the window for a moment before she started walking again. _

 

_ “Would you be so kind to sit down,” Jafar suddenly asked, the cool mask of him slipping off his face for a second before he composed himself and looked at Emma sternly. “Sit.” _

 

_ Emma turned towards him, but didn’t argue. Instead she only sat down on a stool, propping her feet up on the table in front of her. However, she didn’t stop waggling her feet.  _

 

_ “Stop it! We are all nervous.” _

 

_ “Leave her alone,” Killian suddenly interjected, glaring at him, annoyed. He quickly glanced at Emma, who only rolled her eyes. There was this strange tension in the room. Nobody wanted to say anything, Emma played with her phone, Jafar was sitting there with his eyes closed and Killian wrote - again.  _

 

_ Scribbling down notes calmed him. He didn’t keep a diary, but he often took notes to remember and learn. Knowledge was important to him, along writing down ideas and impressions. Through these notes, he learned ; they were like a lifeline. _

 

_ “Ms. Swan, would you be so kind to follow me, please?” Ms. Gausman suddenly appeared in the doorway.  _

 

_ Emma got up and looked around one last time. When her eyes fell on Killian, he smiled at her, hoping to give her a bit of confidence. She returned his smile but was out the door a moment later.  _

 

_ Neither of the girls came back, so the men stayed in the room until Ms. Gausman came and asked Killian to follow her. Taking a deep breath, he followed her to Manuel’s office. “Please take a seat; Mr. Legris will be with you in a moment.” _

 

_ “Aye, thank you, Ms. Gausman.” Killian sat down and watched Legris’ assistant walk out of the room again. He closed his eyes briefly and rested his head against the wall. He didn’t want to eavesdrop, but Legris’ voice was rather loud, and the walls were pretty thin. _

 

_ “I hope you understand, Ms. Swan.” _

 

_ “I do not. Is this about Jones? Has this all been a farce from the very beginning? Did you ever  _ **_not_ ** _ want him? I am a terrific dancer and I know I am capable of composing a ballet and teaching a whole class. So, my answer is no. I don’t understand.” She sounded angry -  maybe even furious. _

 

_ “Ms. Swan, I can assure you, this has nothing to do with Killian. He didn’t get the position either. Mr. Jafar is the candidate I chose because he showed us a solid performance, his skills of teaching are also reliable and his ideas fit into this establishment better than anyone else’s. I only want to point out that your character and moods will constantly get in your way. You are an outstanding dancer, but you always choose the easiest path. I am not really sure you know what hard work is, and I doubt you are able to teach it, but you are still very young and I know you- Ms Swan?” _

 

_ “Thank you, Mr. Legris, but I think I’ve heard enough.” Suddenly the door opened and Emma stepped out; her hard eyes softened instantly when her gaze fell on Killian. “How much did you hear?” _

 

_ Killian opened and closed his mouth several times, but no words escaped.  _

 

_ “You didn’t get the position either, so you can listen to him and his lame excuses why he chose that old rag over us,  _ **_or_ ** _ you and I can go out and celebrate not being stuck in this conservative house the next five years.”  _

 

_ “Ms. Swan!” Manuel stood behind Emma, staring at her in shock. He looked like he had been slapped in the face with a wet towel, all the color vanishing and his eyes glowing with anger. Manuel glanced at Killian, who was still staring at Emma. _

 

_ The next moment a smile appeared on Killian’s face. He looked at Manuel apologetically and offered Emma his arm. “Lead on, milady.”  _

 

_ Emma rolled her eyes at his old fashioned manners.  _

 

“You okay? You look a bit pale. You would think flying is something you’re used to.” Killian turned his head peering down at his hand, which was covered by another, slimmer one.

 

“Well, you would think that, wouldn’t you? But I will tell you a little secret, love; I hate flying. Especially the takeoff and landing.” He smiled at the woman next to him when suddenly the plane dropped palpably. “Oh and turbulence of course - I hate turbulence too.”

 

“But sometimes good things come from turmoil; don’t they?” 

 

Killian smiled at her. “Aye, Swan, sometimes they do.” He leaned over and pressed a kiss to her mouth, smiling when Emma deepened it, pulling him closer. It was the right decision to leave the office with her; it was the right decision to go on that coffee date and talk and laugh and gossip about the other candidates, Legris and the prior weeks.

 

He had never felt more alive nor happier than in the time he’d spent with her. They had walked to the park after their coffee, doing what he’d wanted to for weeks - dancing with Emma in public, and enjoying the late afternoon sun, the whistles and cheers around them. He didn’t know what the future held for him or for Emma, but for now, he was happy flying to New York City and embarking on the next adventure with her.


End file.
